In a corner of the internet dominated by co-op shooters and open world exploration, a pastor with a knack for virtual reality has laid the roots for the unlikely intersection of religion and gaming.
D.J. Soto has been running what’s said to be the first virtual reality church, where gamers from all walks of life are invited to ‘learn about God, faith, and science.’
It exists entirely in the virtual realm, offering hour-long streams every Sunday for an online congregation made up of equal parts robots and human avatars.
And, it’s even become a place for those looking to be cleansed of their sins.
A bizarre shared this week by YouTuber Syrmor shows what it’s like to be baptized in VR, complete with an audience of cartoon characters and an anime girl ‘immersed in divine love.’
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Pastor D.J. Soto has been running what’s said to be the first virtual reality church , where gamers from all walks of life are invited to ‘learn about God, faith, and science’
Soto, an ordained minister, has been conducting VR baptisms for roughly a year, he tells Syrmor and VRChat reporter, Drumsy.
The conversation is set in the clouds, and the virtual sun can be seen setting in the distance behind an idyllic, pink-leafed tree.
Apart from its whimsical setting and audience members, however, the baptism itself is as serious and thoughtful as any other.
‘It really is a spiritual moment,’ Soto tells Drumsy, the pink-haired character receiving the cleansing, as the group shifts to an indoor virtual bathhouse.
‘I think maybe some people think of it as maybe a religious ritual, and that’s fine too, but this is something that has spiritual significance to it.’
While a typical baptism may be a hands-on experience, the person in this case is responsible for lowering their own body into the virtual water as Soto instructs from beside. They then remain submerged for a full minute.
‘When you go
